Apparatus coi



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEETcE.

ASAHEL COLLINS, OF ULSTER VILLAGE, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS rolt CONDENSING STEAM AND Eon REGULATING COMBUSTION IN STEAM-ENGrNEs.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,047, dated December 81, 1838.

To all whom, t may concerny Be it known that I, ASAHEL CoLLrNs, ofUlster' Village, in the town of Saugerties, county of Ulster, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and improved and useful mode ofcondensing steam by atmospheric air and returning and using the sameatmospheric air which condenses the steam, containing the heat given olfby the steam and also the vapor or gaseous matter as produced by theprocess of condensation, for the purpose of combining with the heatedair gaseous substances, &c., as produced by the consuming of fuel, whichchemical combination adds very materially in making it a great supporterof combustion, which is described as follows, reference being had to theannexed drawings of the apparatus by which the above-mentioned objectsare effected.

rlhe nature of this disco-very or 'invention consists in admitting thesteam and atmospheric air through the apertures of the case of arevolving fan, which may be divided in the center, by a partition, andcausing the steam and atmospheric airs to unite in the cylindersurrounding the revolving fan, or in the tangential tube of therevolving fan, where the steam is condensed. The atmospheric air heatedby the process lof condensation, and a vacuum formed in the condensingcylinder, or condensed by the same process, or it may be assisted bysurrounding the condenser with water of a certain, or commontemperature, and delivering the condensed steam and heated air into areservoir from whence the heated air is conducted to the furnace and thecondensed steam to the boiler through suitably constructed tubes orpipes, by which process a saving of fuel is effected equal to thequantity required to bring the atmospheric air to the degree of heatacquired by the process of condensation, it being a greater supporter ofcombustion, and its chemical combination with the heated air and gasesas produced by the consuming of fuel produces an intense heat, the steambeing forced and condensed in the above specified manner viz. by therevolving fan can -be condensed and a suiicient vacuum lformed withoutreducing the steam to as low The object proposed above may be effectedby means of an apparatus constructed in the following manner or invarious ways and manners embracing the same principle.

Figure l is a perspective view of the eX- terior of the apparatus. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section through the steam chamber of the fan. Fig. 3is a transverse section through the center of the fan case the fansbeing in their proper places; Fig. l, ditto, the fans being removed.Fig. 5 is another modification of the apparatus having the casesurrounding the fans perforated with holes and this again being"surrounded by another case without apertures.

The letters of reference in the several figures refer to the same parts.

A. represents the fan case divided in the center by a partition formingthe chambers, one for steam and the other for atmospheric air in each ofwhich revolves a fan both fixed on the same shaft having also atangential tube for conveying the condensed steam and air to areservoir, said tube being also divided by a partition as far as X theplace where it is intended the steam and atmospheric air .shall come incontact; B, tangential tube divided as aforesaid; C, revolving fan; D,axle on which the fans are fixed; E, pulley on the axle of the fansaround which passes a band leading to the engine for turning them; F,tube inserted into an opening in the end of the fan case for theadmission of steam; Gr, opening in the other end of the fan case for theadmission of atmospheric air; H, partition before mentioned in thecenter of the fan case for dividing it into an air and steam chamber; I,steam chamber; J, atmospheric air chamber; K, reservoir for the heatedair and condensed steam; L, tube for conveying the heated air to thefurnace; M, tube for conveying the water of the condensed steam to theboiler; N, cocks or valves; O, Fig. 5, outer case surrounding inner caseA which in this modification is to be perforated; P, tube for conveyingthe condensed steam collected at the bottom of the outer case to theboiler; Q, opening through which the heated air passes into the tube B.

In condensing steam with atmospheric air and heating the air by thecondensing process for the supply of the furnace the fan is first put inmotion by power from the engine. The steam from the cylinder isconducted by the pipe E to the chamber I and the atmospheric air entersthe chamber J through the opening G. The revolving fan drives both steamand air along the tube B and when at the end of the partition they uniteat X, the air condensing the steam, and the steam heating the air, thecondensed steam and heated air are driven into the reservoir K. Fromthence they are drawn off by the tubes L and M, the one to supply thefurnace with heated air and the other the boiler with water.

It mercurial gage is to be attached to the boiler-set at a particularpoint, so as to show the degree or temperature of steam, and at thesaine time to act upon a lever which is to be attached to the door ofthe ash-pit, if the draft is produced by atmospheric pressure, or to thevalve in the blow pipe, when the draft is produced by means of thebellows, which gage will prevent an explosion in all cases. lNhen thesteam arises to a certain degree or temperature before the vapor orgases is generated that produces or causes explosion the lever closesthe doel` lof the ash pit and the constant return of carbonio acid gasand deadly gases which are nonsupporters of combustion extinguish thelire and combustion ceases for want of a supply of oxygen from theatmospheric air. lVhen the lever is attached to the valve of theblowpipe it acts similarly in closing the valve and preventing theheated atmospheric air from mixing with the carbonio acid gas and othergaseous matters produced by consuming of fuel in the furnace, andcombustion ceases upon the same principle as mentioned above, viz., theabsence of oxygen gas. lfvlhen attached to the common boiler now in useit will serve in all cases to show precisely the height of temperatureor the degrees of the steam, and will regulate the combustion accordingto the heightI of steam. The gage may be placed in the steam chamber, inthe boiler, or at the exterior of the boiler, at the connecting tubes orpipes or in the usual way of employing the mercurial gage.

rlhe objects proposed above can be effected by means of an apparatusconstructed in the following manner or in various Ways and mannersembracing the same principle.

Drawing No. 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 3: A, Inercurial gage placed in or at theexterior of the boiler. B, piston rod which is attached to lever E; C,standard supporting lever L; D, standard supporting lever H; E, leverat.- tached to piston of the gage on one end and the other to the rod F;F, rod attached to lever E and sliding door Gr; G, sliding door to theash pit.

Fig. 3: H, lever to close the valve of the blow pipe; I, end of lever tobe attached to piston rod B when the blowpipe creates the draft; J, rodatt-ached to lever H and valve K; K, valve in the pipe or tube; L,boiler; M, furnace; N, grate; O, smoke pipe; P, revolving fan forreturning the smoke, sparks, &c., to the furnace through the pipe Qwhich is a continuation of the pipe O. R, is the ashv pit and airchamber.

To compensate for the loss of steam which must necessarily take place,such quantity of water as may be found necessary is to be forced intothe condensing apparatus, by the known means of effecting that object.lt should enter the condensing vessel in the form of spray, so as themore perfectly to aid the cold air in condensing the steam; the bestmode of introducing the cold water for this purpose will, I am ofopinion, be to cause itI to enter through the shaft of the fan wheel,made hollow for that purpose; it may, however, be introduced in otherways so as to effect the intended object.

Your petitioner does not claim the sole discovery or invention ofcondensing steam by atmospheric air or using heated air as a supporterof combustion neither the application of the mercurial cage. He is awarethey have been used but not to his knowledge in the manner hereindescribed.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is-The condensing of steam by atmospheric air by means of a revolving fan,and the heated air thus produced, viz., by the process of condensingused as a supporter of combustion and the application of the merw eurialgage as a regulator of combustion. These severally produced by themanner before described or in any other way or manner or modesubstantially the same.

ASAHEL COLLINS.

lVitnesses:

M. FRELIGHT, JAMES W'ooDRUrr.

